New Orleans Saints backup running back Lynell Hamilton suffered what the team believes is a torn ACL, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.

Hamilton injured his knee when he planted to make a cut. After this morning's workout, Saints head coach Sean Payton characterized Hamilton's injury as "kind of a freak deal", Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune reports.

Hamilton had been competing with P.J. Hill and Chris Ivory as the "big back" behind Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush. If Hamilton is seriously injured, the Saints may turn to free agent Ladell Betts, who visited the team last week.